Military veterans snub SACP congress
THE Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) said yesterday it would not attend the 14th national congress of the SACP despite being invited.
The SACP, which has become critical of President Jacob Zuma’s leadership, is holding its national congress this week.
The communist party has also been calling for Zuma to step down, and deemed him unfit to lead.
“The MKMVA acknowledges with gratitude the invitation that we have received to participate in the 14th national congress of the South African Communist Party,” MKMVA chairperson Kebby Maphatsoe said in a statement
“After careful consideration, MKMVA has, however, decided not to attend the SACP national congress,” Maphatsoe added.
The SACP is part of a tripartite alliance that also includes the ANC and trade union federation Cosatu.
“The current unfortunate path that the SACP has taken to disregard the well-established tradition that alliance partners do no prescribe to each other about internal organisational matters by trying to prescribe to the ANC about who should be its president is not conducive for our attendance,” said Maphatsoe.
The week-long SACP congress is expected to elect new leadership for the next fiveyear term, and also decide whether to contest elections for the first time as a standalone party.
Both the SACP and Cosatu have barred Zuma from attending their meetings.
“MKMVA values the tripartite alliance, but we believe that it is critical for the SACP and Cosatu to return to the fundamentals that made the alliance such a great success and formidable force in our liberation struggle,” said Maphatsoe.